by Soma Oj.

One of the historically crazy philosophers – there’s a huge chance it was Aristotle, but what does it matter? – once said that “there’s no great genius without a tincture of madness”. We have somewhat come to accept it even though we do not fully understand why. We all buy into that first draft definition of democracy by the American President with the scruffy beards and Einstein’s absolutely cuckoo look is as much a validation of his genius as the stuff he actually invented.

Leave history. Think about the now. Think Michael Jackson and all his scandals, the Olsen twins who create amazing fashion but always manage to look homeless. Think about the fact that you are starting to see the talent that Charles “#Amoshine” Okocha possesses (don’t lie!). Or why do you think you are still bothered in the least bit about Kanye West? I promise you that it’s because you also accept the reality that geniuses – musical, scientific and visual – come with a tincture of madness.

I found myself applying that principle to this thing I just read about the 2017 winner of the Big Brother Naija reality show, Efe Michael Ejemba.

Efe is known as the guy who stole the hearts of viewers within the 3-month run of the reality show by a combination of his claims to being a rapper and his “captivating” life story, themed “STRUGGLE”. Efe was not born with a silver spoon and had apparently somehow got himself through a degree at the University of Jos, bagging a First Class, in spite of all the hurdles he had to jump. Based on logistics, this should not have been possible. Poor kids in Nigerians Universities cannot afford the required handouts, or complete meals that will provide the nutritional basis for survival. They also often cannot grease the right hands – greasing palms is a sad reality of any sector of the Nigerian society that can help fast track anything from the release of your semester results to ensuring you land a contract that you are more than qualified for.

But Efe Ejemba, through sheer peserverance endured all of these or his peculiar version of these to arrive at the Big Brother Nigeria house in South Africa and Nigerians rewarded him with a pass to earn the 25 million Naira prize because he painted a real picture of what almost every Nigerian has to go through in their own lives to survive. If Efe stood the chance of winning N25 million, millions of Nigerians were ready throw their weights, internet presence and airtime behind him. It obviously validated their own struggles. Never mind that it also mightily greased the already money-lined palms of the class of people who created/ensure the systemic hurdles set up against all the Efes (#EfeNaMeEfeNaYou).

All that equals stories that touch. Efe is now the proud owner of 25 million Naira and the possibility of a successful musical career. And to launch that career, he has immediately started aligning himself with industry gods such as Don Jazzy and he’s also poised to start dropping some music. But first, he’s gone Kanye and called the bluff of the very Nigerians who not only got him here but will also determine whether he will “blow” or not.

Efe has asked them to close their ears to his music… if they hate it.

A quick backstory.

Three weeks after winning the Big Brother Naija prize money, Efe proved his own narrative and dropped a single titled – you guessed it – “Based on Logistics”.

[In case you missed it: Efe releases “Based on Logistics” 3 weeks after winning #BBNaija]

The song itself is nothing impressive; 3 minutes 41 seconds of the rapper mostly repeating the lines “Based on Logistics” and intermittently rhyming using cliched phrases that tell the story of a street boy who has been dismissed as incapable of “making it” but who has managed to get the money anad will still make more.

The track is not what is impressive and apparently, Nigerians of the internet have not minced their words in tweeting Efe their feedback. What is impressive though is his determination to hit the ground running. Dropping a track 3 weeks after winning is very commendable and choosing to establish the “Based on logistics” phrase/mentality in a song definitely worked to establish a musical fanbase among the lovers of Efe, the Big Brother Naija contestant. Smart move regardless of the mediocrity of the track.

However, to tweet less than month after dropping the track:

“… sorry if e dey pain you… if I drop song just close ear… becoz more songs go comot…”

That’s sheer insanity.

Obviously he was trying to respond to the “haters”. But to even believe that he has “haters” less than a month into his music career does not only smack of an oversized ego, it’s plain silly. But I did not start to look at it this way until I had first looked past his comment as some variation of that tincture of craziness that I have also been made to believe accompanies the genius in a few people.

Now, that I have looked at it both ways, I am torn. I do not know what to believe. Is this guy just another crazy genius and should be left alone the way I’d leave Kanye alone after he releases another collection of over-priced punctured cothing or should I call him out for having assumed more than his fair share of a sense of importance?

On the one hand, Efe, despite all the intrigues that his story brings to the table has no valid claims to being a genius other than having bagged a first class in University. My better judgment however tells me that being a genius requires a hell of a lot more than that and so that tweet should be considered for what it is: the statement of someone who has it in over his head. On the other hand, the history books are filled with stories of genuises who were dismissed as nutjobs.

What to do?